America is the great melting pot of cultures, and many people are most comfortable speaking their native language. Businesses everywhere have recognized this fact, and as a result have begun to offer services in varying languages. Extending your customer base by offering your site in additional languages can only help your bottom line!
Those of you with brick and mortar businesses have probably noticed the advantages of having a bilingual staff. As indicated by the fast rising growth of online shoppers, this advantage extends to your business’ online presence as well. Neglecting to translate your website’s sales pages may be causing you to lose out on sales.
For example, in San Antonio, Texas, 62% of the population is Hispanic; most of this Hispanic community speak Spanish, so a business there would greatly benefit from a Spanish translation on its website. You can easily check your county, city or state demographics to see if your business would benefit from translating your sales pages into another language.
There are many ways to get your site translated; you can use Google Translate, other translating software such as Babylon 8, or hire someone fluent in the language to do it for you. Many people have questioned the accuracy of Google’s translation application, but I don’t have any personal experience with it. Find whatever method works best for you to get the job done.
Your work doesn’t end at the translation; now you have to get the word out there that you offer pages in another language. You can run advertisements or a PR campaign both online and offline to spread the word that you are now offering services in another language.
First, check to see if any of your competitors have translated their sites. As always, the secret is to check the back links of those who have; you’ll find many resources for getting your business out there as a bilingual site.
Another way to find PR resources for your site’s new translation is to look for business organizations similar to the US Chambers of Commerce, such as the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Once you find these organizations, look at the back links of their press releases to see who has cited them.
Translating your site into other languages benefits you in two major ways: first it increases your audience, thereby increasing your sales; secondly, it opens up new avenues for publicity and link building. Building a business requires a willingness to change and the ability to adapt. If you are missing out on customers because they don’t speak English, you’re letting opportunity pass you by. Keep an eye on your target audience; your customer base may be broader than you think.
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